Who doesn't love watching butterflies flutter around the garden? With their beautiful colors and their grand aerial ballets, these insects are undoubtedly favorites among children... and adults. To attract them to the garden, Sarah Bédard, from Ferme Bédard et Blouin, a Passion Jardins merchant in the Quebec region, and little Paul, 5 years old, suggest creating a butterfly feeder to install in the garden; a simple and creative activity to do with children.
You will need:
- A terracotta pot 5 to 6 inches in diameter to serve as a base
- A large enough saucer to hold a good amount of food and water
- Glue to solidify your assembly if needed (optional)
- Paint and brushes to decorate your artwork
- Very ripe fruits (banana, apple, and orange are suggested)
Sarah and Paul explain how to do it:
- Turn your pot upside down so that the narrower part is at the top
- Apply glue all around to fix the saucer on the pot
- Paint the whole thing to make the feeder more attractive to butterflies. They particularly appreciate bright colors like purple, orange, and yellow
- Cut fruits and place them in the saucer. You can use the slightly overripe fruits from your fridge; the butterflies will love them since they are riper, and you will avoid waste
- Add water so that the butterflies can drink at the same time
And there you have it, you're all set: you have a beautiful feeder for butterflies to feed at your place!
To have even more success, plant varieties of flowers that attract butterflies and place the feeder nearby. Make yourself a beautiful flower pot with salvias, lantanas, alyssum, and milkweed, install your feeder close by, and enjoy the spectacle that will be offered to you!
For more tips and tricks to attract butterflies to the garden, learn more about plants, or for activity ideas to do with your children, visit a Passion Jardins merchant near you!
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